Tag Archives: Offense

The Numbered Transition Offense is a simple Primary Transition Play that allows different variations with players able to make reads on the run and adjust to the many scenarios on the floor. Many teams run different options around this principle, and the strength behind this play is the ability to change the placement of players to work towards the strengths of specific individuals.

Primary Transition: Numbered Transition Offense Diagram 1

The numbered transition offense links each of the five players on the floor to specific roles. In the diagram below the responsibilities have been broken down as:

One (1): Primary Ball Handler and Outlet target

Two (2): Right Hand Sideline Runner

Three (3) Left Hand Sideline Runner

Four (4): Middle Lane Runner

Five (5): Inbounder and Trailing Big

These roles will change depending on the situation that possession has been obtained through. In situations of broken play, the positions outside those of the Point Guard maybe split into simply Guards and Bigs. The benefit of this is that the players can move between different roles depending on where they find themselves on the floor in relation to the ball. This will be explained in detail later on through the exploring of the play’s options.

In an inbound situation (following a scoring our out of bounds change in possession) the roles can be structured to mirror those identified.

Primary Transition: Numbered Transition Offense Diagram 2

Five (5) will take the ball out of bounds and look to initiate the Numbered Transition Offense by passing to One (1).

One (1) will look to move the ball quickly up the floor by attempting to execute the push pass to Two (2) within one dribble of catching the ball on the outlet.

Two (2) and Three (3) will sprint ahead along the sidelines and look to extend the defense by taking the defenders low to in line with the basketball hoop, before bouncing to come back to the ball. This will flatten out the defense and provide a lead away from the desired catching areas for the offense to be initiated in the front court.

Four (4) in this situation runs the floor and establishes good positioning at the front of the rim looking to create early keyway offense.

The set-up for the players in the backcourt will depend on where it is desired that they fill to.

If the set-up is to be 4 Out and 1 In; then One (1) will fill to the elbow extended position on the strong side of the floor. Five (5) will trail into the weak side elbow extended position.

Primary Transition: Numbered Transition Offense Diagram 3

If the set-up is to be 3 Out and 2 In; then One (1) will fill to the middle of the floor and into the point position. Five (5) will still trail, with a wider arching run curling into the weak side low post position.

In a broken play situation (defensive rebound or turn-over) the strength in the numbered transition offense is grouping players to be reactive to what happens on the floor when out and running.

In the situation diagrammed below the rebounding orientation is reversed with Four (4) being the rebounder and so would become the trailing big. This would see Five (5) then run the floor and establish a position on the front of the basketball hoop.

Primary Transition: Numbered Transition Offense Diagram 4

In this scenario, the sideline running guards (Two and Three) find themselves on the same side of the floor. The guard that is closest to the halfway line will maintain this running lane. Three (3) will continue to run down the closest sideline to help fast break and speed up the progression of the ball into the front court and attacking the basket.

The guard who is trailing (Two) will then fill into the role of finding the opposite side of the floor. This is because this player will see there is another guard in this lane easiest, so will then be able to make the read and change their running line while still progressing up the floor quickly.

By having players not think of themselves as numbers, but in groupings, the numbered transition offense becomes more flexible and dynamic in still achieving the desired offensive roles needed.

The Link Passing Transition Drill integrates the use of all possible passes within basketball while proving a scenario specific to practicing one of the more troublesome aspects of transition, the second or link pass.

The Link Passing Transition Drill starts with an offensive player (One) positioned under the basket at one end of the floor. This player starts with the basketball. This player will look to dribble down the floor and perform a specific type of basketball pass to one of the wing running offensive players (Three and Four).

Link Passing Transition Drill Diagram 1

The wing runners start at halfway at the “T” point. A defender also starts at this position and attempts to deny the pass to the player and ultimately prevent the scoring opportunity.

The wing players look to create leads and in so doing become possible passing targets for One (1).

If a wing player (Three or Four) receive the link pass the drill becomes live (2 v 2) and continues until either the offense scores, or the defence securers possession.

Points of Emphasis

A key focus of the Link Passing Transition Drill is to have players perfect a wide range of different passing techniques utilised in basketball.

An effective link pass pushes the ball from the defensive end of the floor into an attacking position. If the link pass is poor offensive players will catch the ball away from a position in which they are considered a threat by the defence. Ideally, the wing players (Three and Four) should be catching the ball at the three-point line or closer to the basketball hoop.

Variations

While in the above diagram the offensive player filling the role of the outlet initially starts in the middle of the floor, this starting position can vary. Once a player becomes competent in performing a range of passes, then look to start the player from the corners of the floor. This will varying the line of sight for players and make the challenge of passing to the opposite side of the floor more challenging.

While it is not ideal for players to pass across the splitline, practicing the passing angles will assist in players being able to perform this task more efficient and effectively.

Once the players have overcome the challenges and acquired the knowledge to play from various angles, the next variation focuses on adding an on-ball defender from the outlet. The defender marking One (1) will attempt to deny or pressure the link pass to the forward offensive targets.

As the competence of the players develop an additional player can be added to the drill that acts as the inbounder, again with an on-ball defender.

The last variation to the Link Passing Transition Drill is to provide two outlet targets. These players will simulate a regular inbounding situation during a game where two offensive players remain in the backcourt acting as possible targets on opposite side of the floor.

In all variations of the Link Passing Transition Drill different passes should be made mandatory of players.

The Link Passing Transition Drill if performed well will see better outcomes for a team in being able to move the ball quickly up the floor. At all times players should look to work at the highest speed to assist in the realistic development of the desired range of skills.

The Ball Reversal to Score Drill looks to help players develop the set of technical skills needed as well as offensive awareness to be able to score in the post from ball rotation on the perimeter. As players become more and more athletic they become more aggressive and intense in defence. Defenders in the modern game ae very active and will look to challenge an offensive player’s position more readily than at any other time in the sport’s history. Post players now find themselves needing to be woven into a team’s offense and not simply being a catch and attack unit in isolation. Playing off the ball for an offensive player now becomes very important in setting up for or creating the right offensive situation. The Ball Reversal to Score Drill looks to highlight these skills off the ball which lead to scoring opportunities.

The Ball Reversal to Score Drill starts with three offensive players around the perimeter. Two players are at the wings (Two and Three) while another is positioned at the Point Position (One).

Ball Reversal to Score Drill Diagram 1

Another offensive player (Four) starts in the keyway. The aim of the drill for this player to receive a pass and score within the normal rotation of the ball from one side of the floor to the other.

To aid in challenging the offensive player two defensive players (Triangles Four and Five) are positioned in the low post on either side of the keyway.

Defenders look to front the offensive post and not allow themselves to be cut over or under.

The focus of the Ball Reversal to Score Drill is for the player to recognise this high energy challenge by the defender and and not try to fight for position, instead use what is given by the defence and wait for ball rotation and a good seal to lead to a scoring opportunity.

The drill will start with the post player (Four) under the basket and a cost pass the ball to a player on the floor. Four (4) will look to move towards the wing where the ball was passed and wait for the desired ball rotation.

The defenders will look to front Four (4).

In some cases on the first pass of the ball reversal from the wing (Three) to the top of the three-point line (One) the post player will maintain contact and simply look to place their body between the defender and the passing lane.

Alternatively, the offensive player may need to break off contact before the pass is made from the wing, and then re-seal as this situation unfolds and ball is rotated.

Defenders should continue to implement defensive principles while guarding the post player until Four (4) crosses the split line and into the other defenders area of responsibility.

The Ball Reversal to Score Drill is live until the offensive player (Four) scores or the defender secures possession/rebound.

The next opportunity for the score will happen as the ball is reversed to the opposite wing position.

The Four (4) will look to hold an existing seal or create a new one and flash to the ball as the pass is initiated by Two (2) from the wing.

Ball Reversal to Score Drill Diagram 2

In some instances within the Ball Reversal to Score Drill the ball can be reversed quickly from one side of the floor to the other. While the perimeter players need to be aware of what opportunity is inside, in a game this will regularly happen and a post player must practice maintaining a seal until the ball is passed into them. The ball should be passed between the offensive player (Four) and the basket. Not directly at the post player, but rather leading the player to the basket.

Post players should be able to initate and hold their seal for the two passes to be performed in shifting the ball from one side of the floor to the other.

Remember also that the Ball Reversal to Score Drill is challenging for those players on the perimeter as well. Passing into the post can be very difficult for players who have never really had the tactical situation explained to them. This learning curve can also be steep and require some time for it to be developed.

Variations

To help in making the Ball Reversal to Score Drill more effective there are some options to consider which help change the drill’s progression.

If an offensive post player is struggling with footwork or maintaining their seal, consider replacing the two defenders with cones until the player can become more competent of maintaining balance and positioning. Once the player understands the basic movements then look to remove one cone and replace with a defender. A focus should always be during this transition on footwork and the offensive player controlling their body. Finally, add the second defender by removing the last cone.

Because of the complexity of the movement off the ball, the Ball Reversal to Score Drill can have many players taking part with only one really as the focus. Alleviate this issue by adding defenders to match-up against the perimeter players. To Help in implementing this added complexity, add a defender to the Point Position first so there is one defender playing against this player only. Later, add two further defenders to the wing positions.

It is suggested to add the defender to the middle position first, as this playing role on the perimeter will take the longest to master. The player in the Point Position is vital for both passing a ball into the keyway and reversing the ball. Secondly, positioning of this defender still allows a skip pass to occur so the drill will not fully stall if the middle perimeter player cannot find space to make a catch.

The final variation suggested is to allow the offensive player in the post (Four) to challenge more significantly the defender trying to front them. This will see the offensive player being more aggressive in trying to get in front of the defender initially, before utilising the skills described earlier, which are the main focus of the Ball Reversal to Score Drill.

The Ball Reversal to Score Drill looks to create a scenario where players can develop a range of skills related to scoring away from where the ball is heading. These subtleties in the game of basketball for post players are how they continue to tick over their points totals while not needing to be the focus of the team’s offense constantly. Effective post players can make-up half of their points from this type of action in a game.

The Backcourt is the no-man’s land for an offense. Scoring passes very rarely originate from this area and if anything, this area of the court serves more as a heightened place of anxiety and nerves. Being stuck in the backcourt for a player without a clear idea of what to do is a recipe for disaster.

To try and overcome some of the more common issues faced when moving the ball up the floor a couple key points have been highlighted. These are explained below:

Good spacing makes passing over the defence all the more easier. This can help move the ball out of the backcourt at pace. (Photo Source: JayBe)

Spacing

One of the common problems seen in the backcourt is spacing. Poor spacing has a number of draw backs for the offense. The results of which are that it takes more passes, more players, and more time to move a ball up the floor and across halfway.

While being too far apart can also provide issues, the optimum range should be somewhere between ten and fifteen feet depending on the age, strength and competence of players.

Full court trapping is one of the more challenging situations to be faced by players. When this happens spacing is often the one characteristic the defence detests the most. Good spacing means for the defence that there are always gaps, the seams in the defence become bigger and if beaten, the help defence takes longer to come into play.

Receivers and Runners

When an offense is trying to advance a ball up the court, the fastest way to do so is through passing the ball, not dribbling. The fleetest of foot Point Guard will always be beaten by a well-executed transition (if not, then you might need to look at your transition). To be effective though at any point within the progression of the ball there must be both receivers and runners involved.

Receivers are targets for the ball handler to pass to. Runners are those players primarily concerned with creating space and advancing to furthest position of an offensive individual down the floor. Both positions are equally important, and if the wrong balance is employed within a team’s transition or press breaker then the chances of a poor outcome increase.

If a team’s looks to bring too many receivers to the ball then they will inevitably slow, and in some cases stall the ability of the offense to push the ball ahead quickly. If not enough receivers present to the ball then too much work can be left for the ball handler to do. To help with this a simple rule of thumb can be applied. Whenever the ball is caught by an offensive player, there should be two receivers at any one time acting as possible targets. With the other two players acting as runners and stretching the defence further and further.

One lesson to be taught to players is the risk in passing across the split line in transition or traffic. Too many times players look for this pass and see the target without the impending dangers when attempting this type of pass. Passing across the split line and up the floor often lengthens the distance the ball must travel. This will result in the ball being in the air for longer and make the pass slower. Additionally, because of the angle of the pass, being able to judge the position of defenders relevant to the target becomes very difficult. It is not easy, even for experienced players to be able to judge this well. A turnover in the backcourt often leads to an immediate scoring opportunity so the pressure to make the right choice is higher.

Often the simplest rules are the best for solving problems within sports because they don’t reply on complicated steps and actions to be performed by individuals on the court during pressure situations. Look to a team’s spacing, receivers and runners when trying to advance the ball out of the backcourt and you will probably identify a large percentage of problems.

The Lay-up is one of the most widely used skills in basketball. For most players this is their very first technique learnt when attempting to score. The lay-up forms one of the most fundamental skills developed in basketball and so therefore it is often seen as a point of frustration when junior, senior or elite players fail to perform the skill both during training and in games.

The problem is that no one scoring technique will ever be perfect and all skills across the gamut of basketball will need to be rehearsed, broken down, or re-taught from time to time to ensure they continue to be performed at an acceptable level of competence. The lay-up though can have some inherent issues when teaching and then performing. Some common reasons are defined below…

Poor Technique

When players are not well-drilled, they can become very complacent when going through the motions of performing skills. The skill does not need to be simple for this happen, but can be very complex, and still this issue persists. Standards during practice need to be set for the team and then monitored for each individual. Allowing slow repetitions or “loose” technique only serves to create bad habits for players. The lay-up will be a skill that players often become complacent in performing because of its often overuse in similar situations.

Lack of Depth or Confidence in Skill Set

There are a number of different lay-up techniques that can be taught and utilised by a player during a competitive training sessions drills or a game. If a player does not have knowledge or confidence with these various techniques, they will never utilise them and continue to force bad shots, because in their mind they have no other option. For example if a player is looking to perform a lay-up on the right side of the basket and the defender stops this option, if the player does not possess the ability to perform a reverse lay-up on the left hand side, they will more than likely still try to force the right hand lay-up or another poor shot.

Poor exposure of players to a variety of angles in which to practice their lay-up will lead to a limited development of the skill and a lack of ability to convert in games (Photo Source: Wm Chamberlain)

Mind Numbing Repetition

Drills can have a very beneficial effect for players when they are starting to learn new techniques and skills. Well thought out drills can provide a great opportunity for skills like the lay-up to be progressively developed, refined and performed.

However, many drills do feature similar aspects such as where the drill starts and the angle they finish at the basketball hoop. This causes players to become accustom to laying the ball up from a particular position or within a certain angle. This is obviously not the case in games and coaches should take notice of the drills they regularly use and look for different ways to finish the scoring movement so players gain variety and experience from other angles when trying to perform a lay-up.

Game Pace

Probably the most common reason across many errors is the poor rehearsal of players during training sessions of skills at a game pace. Players should be encouraged to progress from being introduced to a skill, to attempting to perform the skill at game pace as quickly as possible.

Playing through the Contact

Many developing players struggle with the concept of basketball being a semi-contact sport but the contact around the keyway and to the basket often being heavy at different times. This can cause player to shy away from this contact for fear of being hurt. This in turn makes players adjust their technique causing issues.

The use of bump pads can be a very useful transitioning piece of equipment in helping players become used to contact before moving into live defensive situations. Players can also be taught in these situations not only how to play through the contact, but implement more advanced techniques to help use the bump.

The next stage of development is to incorporate “live” defence into each drill during the final stages of instruction.

Game Play

Players need opportunities to be able to play in competitive or game like situations. These can range from 1 on 1 to 5 on 5 scenarios. All of these options are beneficial at some level. A coach must be active in providing feedback about made as well as missed baskets.

In competitive situations, it is important to realise in games that only in a few times will a player be truly isolated (especially when playing from the perimeter). The use of 1 v 2 situations where help defence is triggered similar to game situations will be most beneficial from helping players in trying to improve their individual offense, including the lay-up.

The lay-up will provide players with great satisfaction during their early stages of development and become a staple for more experienced players across their careers in basketball. Taking the time to focus on the points mentioned above will serve players to develop a better-rounded and more complete game as well as improving their lay-up technique and performance.